- Title: Manchester United fans march ahead of Europa League game
- Date: 8th December 2016
- Summary: MANCHESTER UNITED FANS SINGING, ONE FAN SAYING (English): "United on tour. MUFC, from Manchester having a crack. What a top city Odessa is."
- Embargoed: 23rd December 2016 19:35
- Keywords: Manchester United march fans soccer Odessa Ukraine
- Location: ODESSA, UKRAINE
- City: ODESSA, UKRAINE
- Country: Ukraine
- Reuters ID: LVA0045C0X16N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Soccer fans marched through Ukraine's Odessa late on Thursday (December 8) waving club flags and chanting their support for Manchester United and Zorya Luhansk.
Manchester United, sixth in the Premier League, is preparing to face Zorya Luhansk in the Europa League group stage, needing at least a draw to guarantee a place in the last 32.
Fans braved freezing temperature on Thursday night to show their support for their teams before marching to Odessa's new Chornomorets stadium. Police could be seen detaining a few fans, but the march was largely peaceful.
Following their latest draw in the Premier League against Everton on Sunday (December 4), United find themselves in sixth place, nine points adrift from Manchester City in fourth and a full 13 points off Chelsea at the top of the table.
At this stage, winning the Europa League might provide the English giants with their best route to qualifying for next year's Champions League.
Zorya plays their matches in Odessa, 600 miles from their home ground in the conflict-ridden eastern Ukraine.
Manchester United need a point to progress from Group A to the knockout stages, but could go further regardless if Feyenoord fail to beat group leaders Fenerbahce in Rotterdam.
Zorya have won no matches in their group and prepare to face Manchester United having lost 3-2 at home to Dnipro last Saturday (December 3). - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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